Border requirements impact local tourism

From the Niagara Falls Review:

The Canadian tourism industry is experiencing its longest period of decline since the 9-11 terrorist attacks almost eight years ago, according to Statistics Canada report released Monday.

But if the recent experience of the Niagara Parks Commission is a good indication of what’s happening elsewhere in Niagara, Ontario and across Canada today, the Statistics Canada figures showing a 1.3 per cent decrease in tourism spending during the first quarter of 2009 will be seen as comparatively good news.

Parks commission chairman Jim Williams says the NPC has seen its revenues fall sharply since the beginning of June when new border-crossing regulations came into effect.

“We were actually having a fairly good turnaround from Nov. 1 until May 31,” said Williams. “Overall, our numbers were up eight per cent or thereabouts, year over year.

“But since the beginning of June, there has been a dramatic decline … We’ve experienced anywhere from 15 to 20 per cent decline in all of our various revenue generating operations just since June 1.”

6 thoughts on “Border requirements impact local tourism

  1. Duh. I’m certainly not going to pay for passports for all six family members to come to Niagara. We visited last year and dropped a few thousand dollars in three days. We will just go somewhere else on vacation this year. BTW, Don’t you think someone should have thought about the impact of new border requirements on the tourist industry? It seems like it’s a lose/lose situation all around. I won’t be coming to Canada any time soon, that’s for sure.

  2. Judy, it is the U.S. government that has imposed the passport rule, not Canada. You could still enter Canada without one, but then you couldn’t get home. Our government, as well as many border state governments, were totally opposed to the plan but to no avail. It certainly is a lose/lose because, as you said, you and many other Americans will no longer travel to Canada and, likewise, many Canadians will no longer visit the U.S.
    A sad new world.

  3. i have to get my paperwork together. i will be making the passport plunge.

    i admit. it’s weird knowing that if i wanted to pick up and make a dash to the border right now… i couldn’t!!!

  4. Ah-h-h, Karen, those were the good ole days!!!! 🙂

    Remember the early morning wake up call to “Let’s have a picnic?” That meant only one thing……a day trip to the Falls!!! A packed picnic lunch on one side of the Falls and the same packed picnic dinner across the Bridge!!! It was a full day from Pittsburgh to the Falls and back again…….but it was “do-able” and what fun!!!

    With the new restrictions, think of all the young families that will miss out on these wonderful spontaneous moments!!!

    Our paperwork is sitting here……dad and I just haven’t made it over to the post office yet……

  5. I hope you both get your passports because your the kind of visitors to the falls my wife and I love.

    Friendly and glad to be here!)

  6. Thanks, Lonny! You will never know how much this family enjoys the Falls!!!

    Those 3 kids I talk about are now almost 40 and in their 40’s and the tradition continues……

    Our youngest son and my lovely daughter-in-law adopted a beautiful baby girl last year. Restrictions apply that the baby is not permitted to leave the country, but as soon as the final papers are signed, a “road trip” is planned and guess where they are going???? 🙂

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